Doing Good: a personal motto and a company mission
Did you know that the month of May is Foster Care Awareness Month? At Doing Good Works we strive to ensure that 30% of our hires come from the foster community. Every week leading up to #FOSTERCAREAWARENESSDAY on Tuesday, May 5, we will feature a different Doing Good Works team member in our TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT.
Meet Keira, a courageous and compassionate member of our team who strives to do good in all that she does.
What is your position with Doing Good Works?
I have a really fancy title- Business Intelligence Analyst. That basically means analyzing data and pulling reports on where we could be more efficient. But like everyone at Doing Good Works, I wear a lot of different hats! I sometimes help out in accounting and I am helping with B Corp certification. I also help out on the mission side of things and have been participating in some workshops we are leading at a home for foster youth. Doing Good Works has experience with the Mindset Matters program, so these workshops combine real-life skills with a growth mindset and it’s great to interact with the youth.
How did you come to work at Doing Good Works?
I was working at Orange Coast College under student services while going to school at CSU, Fullerton. At OCC, I was part of the Guardian Scholars program and it was cool to hear about Doing Good Works while there. I heard great things about the organization and the people that worked there; as a recent graduate, I was looking to transition out of my role at OCC. So I reached out to them, and then it turned into a job.
Doing Good Works is founded on the mission that every young person aging out of foster care deserves an equal chance to succeed and access to the networks and tools that can empower them. What does this mission mean to you?
I have a personal stake in this because I was looking for resources in college and wanted to embrace any opportunity available. Things would have been very different for me if there weren’t people in the real world providing these opportunities. Now that I’m on the other side of it, I try to keep giving back in mind. Something I do or say might benefit someone who is currently in that space, and their opportunity could turn into something bigger. Working at a company where everyone has that in mind is pretty awesome.
What did you study in college?
Economics.
What are your career goals, now or for the future?
I don’t know if I have a specific position in mind. I love working with like-minded people who are looking to make a change in the world and think I will be doing that wherever I go. I also love to travel, so if a job incorporated that- that’s the dream. At the end of the day, I always want to do something that I feel proud of.
Can you share one example of how mentorship has made an impact on your life?
How I got this job. I was really close with the coordinator of Guardian Scholars at OCC and had a conversation with her about where I wanted my life to go and where wanting to grow. She made an introduction and provided me with the moral support I needed to reach out to this company. Anytime I have had to make a decision or take a risk, I’ve always had someone I trust or look up to help guide me, something am I very grateful for.
How do you look to make an impact either through your work or in your life?
I always try to be mindful — am I doing something to hurt or to help? I have worked places where giving back to the community is a big part of the mission and I always want to keep that in mind. A workplace that is conscious about its impact has always made for a better work experience. I think I’d always like to bring that with me wherever I go.
What are your hobbies and outside interests — what do you like to do when you are not working or not in school?
I love to travel — I took a solo trip to France last year, which was terrifying and amazing. I love to draw and I’m starting to get back into drawing. I am a huge nerd and love exploring anything that has a good story, or comedy. I really loved exploring Paris on my own, its an introverted city so I felt a bit at home — haha. I loved being immersed in that culture for a bit and learning about the city and the people that live in it.
Are there any recent accomplishments you are proud of that you can share — (anything from learning how to boil an egg to purchasing your first car!)
Buying a car last year was a big one — it was my first big purchase. I just remember being 18 and in a place where taking on a big purchase seemed impossible. Now, seven years later being able to purchase something and knowing I will have the ability to pay for it — that security was really big for me. I am grateful to be in a position to make a decision like that.
What is your favorite book, tv show or movie and why?
My favorite movie is the first Pirates of the Caribbean. I loved it when I was younger and I love it now as an adult. I think I can quote the entire thing from start to finish! I also love anything that has a sense of humor; comedy got me through some really hard times and that still is true today.
What is something unusual, surprising or funny that people may not know about you?
That I am a huge nerd. I love to be analytical and critical about TV shows and literature — I get obsessively into things. I am just getting back into books that are not course material, too.
What does Doing Good Works mean to you?
“Doing Good” has become a personal motto, more than a company mission — and it’s the same with everyone I work with here.
Everywhere I go I am thinking about things I can do to better myself so that I can be in a better position to help.
